Bomber Kills 26, Including Police Chief In Iraqi City

"A suicide bomber killed 26 people including the police chief of the Iraqi city of Baquba on Monday in a mosque compound where local Shi'ite and Sunni Arab leaders were holding reconciliation talks.

Two other senior police officers were killed while tribal leaders were among 50 people wounded in the attack in the local capital of Diyala province. Police said there were reports the governor of Diyala had also been wounded.

The attack bore the hallmarks al Qaeda, which has said it was launching a new round of attacks to mark the holy fasting month of Ramadan. The group has specifically warned it would attack tribal leaders cooperating with the security forces.

The bomber entered the compound while senior police officers, local government officials and tribal leaders were taking part in reconciliation talks and attending a meal to mark the breaking of the daily fast, police said." |Read more|